Direct reduction of iron oxides captured steelmakers' imaginations several centuries ago when they first realized how easily oxygen could be removed from its iron ore carrier through reduction with hydrogen and/or carbon monoxides. However, harnessing the simple chemical reactions in large scale commercial production proved elusive. Then the Midrex direct reduction process was developed which combines the technology of the shaft furnace and the gas generator in an economic direct reduction system operating continuously and using gaseous reductants produced from natural gas. While a small amount of iron carbide has always been a byproduct of the Midrex direct reduction process it generally accounted for less than two percent of the product.